


Perfect Lie

by kwueenie



Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:14:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26140951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kwueenie/pseuds/kwueenie
Summary: A little something stirs up something previously unexplored between Juliet and Thomas.Note: temporarily paused because this Ethan-character killed my muse. Look out for other WIP.
Comments: 20
Kudos: 78





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by an idea from Drjscully - thank you! - and little twists and tweaks along the way, and still not fully completed, but I hope to find some time to write soon. Set right after Honor Among Thieves. For the purpose of this story, Abby doesn't exist. Enjoy.

It was the sudden change in Juliet that caught his attention. It was very subtle, almost to the point that if Thomas hadn’t looked at her the precise moment she read the text on her phone, he would have missed it.

The Kid was still playing, he’d been at the piano for hours, his peaceful voice rolling through La Mariana along with the warm laughter from around the table. TC had just invested in Rick’s new adventure. Jin had showed up with Keo, who was apparently real, and they had left not long after Kumu.

Thomas had continually tried to convince her of accepting his offer as a partner, and today, he thought he might have scored a point. He was a bit anxious, that she would go back to MI6, but he’d tried to hide it. She made him better and truth be told, he didn’t want her to leave.

All this thinking, was why he had been stealing glimpses of her all night. And caught the transformation in her eyes as she read the message. He watched her take a deep breath and let it out slowly, the others none the wiser, before she moved to her feet.

“Higgy-baby, where’ you goin’?” TC asked her when she pushed the chair to the table. Rick paused his storytelling, before she answered with a smile, like nothing had happened.

“I have an early start tomorrow, that’s all,” she said with a gentle hand on his shoulder. The pilot was definitely buzzed and accepted her explanation with a nod and a smile.

“A’ight, s’ you t’morrow?” Rick asked and she nodded as she started walking away. He was considerably more buzzed than TC and would probably not feel all that great the next days.

“Of course. Goodnight, gents,” she said in her singsong voice, not even looking at Thomas.

“Night, Jules,” Rick called after her and resumed his storytelling, one Thomas was already familiar with. He spaced out some time after Juliet had left and only when Rick’s hand landed on his shoulder, he was pulled back to the present.

“You good, bud?” he asked, realizing both him and TC was looking at him curiously. Thomas nodded and sighed and got to his feet.

“Yeah, all good, brother. Ima head home, it’s been a long day,” he said, excusing himself. He yawned as he walked to the Ferrari and soon after the dark evening air was blowing past him. It wasn’t long before he parked in the driveway and turned off the engine.

The main house was quiet and dark, Juliet had probably already gone to bed, except Thomas didn’t see her car anywhere. There’s no possible way that he’d beat her to the Nest, unless she wasn’t going home, like she said.

He paused and looked down the driveway, hoping she would be right behind him. A gnawing feeling grew at the bottom of his stomach and his head filled with ‘what-if’s. He scolded himself for the worry and forced his legs to carry him to the guesthouse.

Juliet Higgins was more than capable of taking care of herself, he had to remind himself as he glanced over his shoulder again. She probably had a reason for not being home yet. An errand to run, maybe stopping for gas, he thought.

No need to be overprotective. Not yet. He would give her an hour. If she wasn’t home by then, he would give her a call. If she was in desperate need of help, he was confident, that she would call him. The ‘what-if’s nagged the back of his mind as he made his way to the kitchen in search of a sandwich, but he refused to entertain them.

Forty-nine minutes later, Thomas was anxious enough to walk back out to the Ferrari. It was the fourth time he did this lap, thinking he might had missed the rumble of her engine, but still no luck. He looked to his phone again, still no messages or missed calls.

He was just about to call her, when headlights lazily roamed around the corner and caught him, making him squint. Juliet parked the car and as soon as she got out, looked questioningly at Magnum.

“Can I help you, Magnum?” she asked, as if nothing had happened. Thomas walked over, studying her intently and then shrugged.

“I thought you said you were going home?” he asked, and Juliet gave a vague shrug herself.

“Actually, I didn’t,” she said briskly and started walking to the main house.

“Where did you go, then?” Thomas asked, following a couple of steps behind her.

“That’s none of your business,” she just said and turned around to look at him, intently. “And I suggest you’ll leave it at that. It really doesn’t concern you, Magnum,” she continued sharply, before he could even think of a reply. He held both his hands up placatingly.

“Okay. I just wanted to make sure you were alright, that’s all,” he said and Juliet’s eyes softened just a bit, revealing some well-hidden tension. Tension, that hadn’t been there before she got the message, earlier.

“You really didn’t have to, but thank you,” she said and Thomas let his hands drop again with a little smile.

“Yeah, I did. Whether you choose to go back to MI6 or stay here and work with me, you’re still _ohana_. Of course, I’ll check up on you, you know that, right?” he asked and was confused when she briefly looked to the ground. It wasn’t like Juliet to look ashamed or hesitant, but Thomas sensed that he shouldn’t be pushing her tonight, so he didn’t comment.

“Yes, I know,” she said and turned back around to head for the door. “Good night, Magnum,” she called over her shoulder. Thomas looked after her for couple of seconds before strolling back to the guesthouse. Juliet wasn’t one to make a hasty retreat. Something was definitely wrong, he thought as he went to bed. She would come to him, if she needed help.

Right?

Thomas woke earlier than usual and still managed to feel like he had pulled an all-nighter. Juliet’s uncharacteristic behavior, last night, still had him confused. He spent a couple of hours on the surf ski and by the time he hit the sand near Kumu, his whole body was burning.

“Hey, Kumu,” he said with a smile after he pulled the surf ski another couple of yards inland.

“Good morning, Thomas. You look about as tired as Juliet,” she said with a warm smile and Thomas felt a pang of worry rush through him. But he didn’t show it other than a friendly shrug.

“Must be the full moon,” he explained and Kumu eyed him before they both walked back towards the house. They chatted about last night, yesterday’s case and Jin and his, apparently very real girlfriend, before Thomas paused and looked to the older woman.

“What’s on your mind, Kumu?” he asked, when she had beaten around the bush long enough. She sighed and briefly looked to the main house.

“It’s just something Juliet said this morning, before she headed out,” Kumu said and Thomas rubbed the back of his neck. “More like, didn’t say, actually,” she continued.

“Do you know where she went?” Thomas asked and Kumu shook her head.

“No, usually she lets me know where she goes or what her plans are, but this morning she was very secretive. She didn’t even mention when she would be back,” Kumu replied and Thomas could she the worry in her eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile, though he felt the uneasiness himself.

“I’m sure everything’s fine, Kumu. She’s just got a lot on her plate, lately,” he said. It was partially true, nonetheless, he told himself. It nagged at him, that he couldn’t tell her about everything and get it off his chest, but he wasn’t sure Juliet would appreciate it.

“You’re right, she has been very distracted since her trip to London,” Kumu said, seemingly accepting the explanation. As far as Thomas knew, he was the only one who had figured out the MI6-connection to her trip.

He excused himself and headed back to the guesthouse for a shower and breakfast. He tried telling himself that he wasn’t prying, when her looked up her location on the _Find my Friends_ -app. No, he was simply looking out for her. That’s what friends do for each other.

The little icon of a dog silhouette was moving slowly in downtown traffic and Thomas made the decision to go down there to set his mind at ease. He wasn’t prying. Just looking out for a friend.

Somehow, his foot seemed a bit heavier than usual, like his stomach, and he had to remind himself to ease up on the speed a little too often. The icon showed that Juliet had stopped at the Kewalo Basin Harbor and Thomas wasn’t far behind.

He rolled to a quiet stop behind a container, hoping the sportscar was out of sight and made his way closer to where Juliet had parked. Her SUV was parked nose to nose with an older, grey sedan and he could see her talking with two men, both of them, clearly packing heat.

Thomas stayed out of sight but silently moved closer behind pallets of drums and stacks of crates. He could see Juliet stiffen when one of the men reached behind his back and Thomas briefly thought _gun_ before the man produced a manila envelope and handed it to Juliet.

She barely gave the flat envelope a glance, as the other man handed her a smaller, brown bag. This one she was a bit more apprehensive about accepting, but she did and checked its contents and gave them a sullen nod. Thomas was still inching closer when Juliet turned to her car and left seconds later.

He watched her taillights disappear and then switched his focus back to the two men and snapped a picture of the two. Apparently, they were waiting, both leaned on the hood of the car. One of them took the opportunity to light a cigarette. He was a bit shorter than his friend, but had the presence of someone not to be messed with about him.

The taller one was scruffy with unkempt hair and more than a five o’clock stubble but not yet a full beard. Both of them were dressed in badly fitted suits, hiding the handguns but not fully concealing the bulges. Thomas was now close enough so that, if discovered, they would have no problem putting bullet between his eyes.

An engine rolled closer and Thomas crouched as to make himself invisible from the other angle. The car, a gleaming black Lincoln town car stopped exactly were Juliet had parked and the rear door opened. Thomas was quick to snatch a picture of both the car and the man exiting it.

The two men straightened and the smoker threw his bud into the water. The new arrival walked up to them, face set in stone. He was taller than the two others even with his Asian features. Older and more distinguished with greying hairs in the black. His suit looked well-fitted and expensive, the shoes immaculate, soft leather.

“Did she go for it?” the old man asked and the two men nodded.

“Yes, sir,” the non-smoker said. Thomas got the impression that the two of them actually feared the older man, on account of them being a lot more hesitant and barely saying a word other than replying to the old man’s question.

“Good. Make sure she disappears when she’s done,” the old man replied and turned on his heel to walk back to the door. “I don’t tolerate loose ends,” he said, almost as if it was a warning to the two guys. They certainly looked warned. He slipped into the back seat and the car turned around.

Thomas looked at the two men, who also got in their car and took off. He briefly thought about following them, but decided against it. He needed to find out what was happening so he jogged back to the car and headed to the HPD.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, how I have battled with this chapter for an eternity. I was so stuck, that I didn't open this fic for a whole two months (yes, I've been working on it since April!). Brace yourself. This and the next chapter are... explosive. I've really tried my best with all the feels, and please correct me, if I got something wrong! Enjoy.

Katsumoto glared at him when he returned to his desk and found Thomas sitting in his chair, elbows on his knees, looking somehow on edge.

“What do you want?” he said and slipped the newly printed papers into a folder.

“I need a favor,” Thomas said, and Katsumoto sensed the PI’s cautious approach. None of the usual cheeriness and positivity was visible, the man was actually concerned, the detective noticed when Thomas vacated the chair.

“I’m not cancelling your speeding tickets,” Katsumoto said sternly. “Or your parking tickets,” he added as an afterthought. They were still on rocky ground after the clandestine trip to Myanmar. No reason to let him off so easily. Thomas huffed with a ghost of a smile and handed him his phone instead, showing him the pictures, he’d taken earlier.

“I just need to know who this is, that’s all. Maybe you could run the faces and the plate, and let me know what comes back,” Thomas said as Katsumoto swiped through the pictures and paused, forehead creased.

“This is Takeshi Nakamura,” the detective said, sounding a bit baffled and instantly more alarmed. Thomas’s concern plus this man equaled nothing good. Something was definitely wrong.

“The guy with ties to the Yakuza?” Thomas asked and Katsumoto nodded.

“Yeah, HPD’s been trying to take him down for years. Nothing ever sticks. He’s connected to arms trafficking, murders, disappearances and has a hand in just about everything criminal on this island,” Katsumoto said. Thomas ran a hand over his face and sighed.

“What about the other two?” he asked and Katsumoto shook his head.

“Haven’t seen them before. Their car looks like a rental, though. Could be from the mainland,” he replied and handed Thomas his phone back. “Send me the pictures, and I’ll see what I can dig up,” he said once he saw the concern radiate through the man again. Thomas forwarded the pictures immediately.

“Thanks, man, I appreciate it,” Thomas said and Katsumoto folded his arms, looking at him sternly.

“This man’s dangerous, Magnum. What’s going on?” the detective asked and Thomas shrugged, sort of distracted.

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Thomas said and was excused when his phone buzzed and Rick’s face flashed on the screen. He waved a hand at Katsumoto and turned around, answering the phone as he walked outside.

“Hey, man, how’s your head?” he asked, trying to sound a bit more chipper, than he actually felt.

“ _Ugh, please, don’t… remind me,_ ” the man groaned into the phone and Thomas could only chuckle at the man’s hangover. “ _Listen, I’ve got your cap, you left on the chair last night,_ ” Rick said as Thomas walked to the Ferrari.

“Thanks, Rick, I’ll come get it now. Do you need anything?” he asked to which Rick only mumbled something unintelligible and ended the call. Thomas smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. He must have been pretty deep in thought about Juliet to forget his lucky cap.

Just to be sure, he checked her location again and eased up when it showed her at the Nest. The relief was short-lived, when the thought of confronting her crossed his mind. It had to be done and she would definitely not be happy with him spying on her. Pushing aside those thoughts, he headed towards La Mariana.

Thomas’s drive to La Mariana was slowed considerably down by traffic and as he walked inside, he saw a pair of feet jutting out from one of the booths. He nudged the sleeping form of Rick, who startled awake and looked bleary-eyed at him.

“You stayed here last night?” Thomas asked when taking a look at Rick’s clothes from yesterday. The shirt was all creased and his hair was moussed and sticking up at odd angles.

“I blame you,” he said curtly and rubbed at his face. Thomas offered a hand, which the man eyed skeptically before accepting and was then swiftly pulled to his feet, a motion that had him clench his eyes and hold on to Thomas’s shoulder.

“Me? Why’s that?” Thomas asked, a tad bit more amused than called for. He grabbed his cap from the table and placed it securely on his head before gently guiding Rick towards the door. He had to talk with Juliet about all that when he’d gotten Rick home.

“’Cause I can’t say no to TC when he wants to celebrate,” Rick mumbled as if it was the most logical answer in the world. Thomas glanced at him with a humored expression. He knew Rick didn’t mean anything of it and that he probably only had himself to thank for the hangover.

“Of course not, we wouldn’t want to hurt the man’s feelings,” Thomas said, almost on the verge of snickering. He would remember this for the next time he would leave his two friends alone with alcohol.

“Oh, Tommy-boy, I’m too old to get hammered, like this,” Rick groaned when Thomas helped him into the passenger seat. Shortly after the Ferrari was sliding back into the traffic and Rick was bubbling, completely dead to the world.

Finally, Thomas could return to the Nest. Once the Ferrari was parked, his phone buzzed and Katsumoto’s face filled the screen. Thomas was quick to answer the call, hoping the detective had found something on the two strangers from Juliet’s meeting.

“Katsumoto, did you find anything on the two men?” he asked as a greeting, not really concerned about repairing his friendship with the man at the moment.

“ _I don’t have much. They’re not in the DMV and their car is a rental. I had a friend check the airport surveillance and he said they came of a flight last night from Los Angeles. They could have come from anywhere,_ ” Katsumoto said, sounding a bit frustrated. “ _I can't get more intel without any warrants or subpoenas,_ ” detective said, a bit more defeated.

“Okay. What about Nakamura, what’s he been up to lately?” Thomas asked, hoping for a bit more of a breakthrough.

“ _Nothing new, really, except one of his lieutenants went off the radar last month. Also, Vice has rumors about his involvement in sex trafficking and prostitution, but they can’t make a case yet,_ ” Katsumoto said and Thomas rubbed a hand over his face.

“Thanks, Katsumoto,” he said and rolled his neck.

“ _Magnum? Be careful, alright?_ ” the detective said and Thomas grunted a vague response, before ending the call. He leaned his head back for a moment and closed his eyes before having made up his mind. However, all this was connected, nothing good would come from it.

He walked to the main house, intent on getting some answers from Juliet. He knew she wouldn’t take it well and that he would probably be in the doghouse for some time after, but he had to make sure she knew what she was doing, who she was messing with.

He could live with her being angry with him, as long as she was alive. That would be a small price to pay. The impression he got from Takeshi Nakamura was certainly not going in that direction. He found her in the study, laptop opened and papers all over the desk, very unlike Juliet to not have them stacked in neat piles. The brown paper bag and the envelope was not in sight.

Zeus and Apollo moved to their feet at Thomas’s sudden appearance and they could probably sense his worry and the distracted mind of Juliet since they simply sat down again. Juliet had been starring, at nothing in particular, and turned her head to Thomas when she felt his presence.

“What do you want this time?” she asked, sounding more irritated and tired than actually necessary. The two dogs whined quietly and lied down. Thomas took in her ragged appearance and hesitated. Even this strung out, she looked like a goddess in the black pants and red blouse. Maybe he needed to reconsider his approach to the subject.

“What’s going on with you?” he asked, facing the problem head on. It came out sharper than he had expected and Juliet looked sort of stunned by his question and tone. She quickly regained her senses and got to her feet. If he wanted a head-on confrontation, then she wouldn’t take it sitting down.

“Excuse me?” she said as she folded her arms, giving him enough time and opportunity to retract his behavior and apologize. Thomas, however, stepped closer, his eyes dark and narrow. No turning back now. The sudden anger he felt was born of his concern for her.

“Who were you talking to down at the harbor this morning?” he asked and if eyes could kill, he would be dead ten times over. Juliet’s first reaction was surprise, quickly followed by confusion and then came the anger, all in the span of a couple of seconds. The fierce look in her eyes tugged at something inside of Thomas.

“You followed me?” she asked, her voice a tad higher than usual. “Magnum, you have absolutely no reason, whatsoever, to spy on me. What’s wrong with you?” she said with a raised voice, disbelief, betrayal and… disgust?.. in her face. Thomas didn’t let it show, how much her reaction had hurt him as he plowed on, intent on getting to the bottom of this.

“Whatever your connection to them, you should end right now, before you get yourself hurt,” Thomas said, hoping he could get through to her. He wasn’t sure if he could bounce back, if he lost her, too. It was bad enough that she was considering the job back in London.

“You have no right to waltz in here and decide who I ca—“ she began before Thomas spoke again, drowning out the rest of her sentence. He would not stand by and watch her get hurt. That wasn’t happening. He’d lost too much already.

“I have _every_ right to protect my friend from harm’s way!” he almost shouted at her and immediately felt the guilt wrap around his spine when she actually flinched at his reaction. He almost didn’t catch her little jump; it was so little. She scolded her face back to neutral and gave him an icy stare as she squared her shoulders and stepped into his personal space.

Thomas caught a whiff of her scent and actually had a hard time not taking a step back. Not because he didn’t want her close. Definitely not. He just wasn’t sure if he could contain himself enough. But all that went through his mind was how her scent tinkled in his nose and how close she actually was. He could almost feel the heat from her skin.

“Do not come in here, thinking you can overthrow me. I’m the majordomo of this estate and I do exactly–” Juliet was silenced when Thomas’s suddenly kissed her. It was brief and sweet and definitely a surprise. But she didn’t pull away, when their eyes met. Seconds passed, both of them searching each other’s eyes before they moved as one and clashed together again.

Juliet snaked a hand around Thomas’s neck as the other splayed on his chest, they melted together in perfect shape. Thomas found himself wanting her more than ever as he pushed her against the edge of the desk, a hand in her hair and the other around her waist pulling her closer.

As they broke apart to breathe, Juliet roughly pushed him away and returned to the office chair. She positioned herself to work and started typing as Thomas tried to regain control of his motor functions… and brain.

“This doesn’t concern you, Magnum. You may leave now,” she said sternly, almost quietly, not taking her eyes of the laptop. Thomas looked at her for a while and backed off a step. This was not how he had expected things to go. She was visibly infuriated, her shoulders tensed up and her hands a flurry over the keyboard. Thomas let go of a breath.

“You have no i—” he started softly before Juliet interrupted him.

“Leave, Magnum. Now,” she said and he felt like a scolded dog as he looked at her for what felt like an eternity. He had really screwed up this time, he figured and turned around to walk away while he was still intact. It was a wonder, that Zeus and Apollo hadn’t ripped him apart.

He felt very much like a kicked puppy when he retreated to the guest house, but was still coiled tight with anger and… fear?... As if sensing the mood on the Nest, the clouds had gathered and heavy drops of rain began to fall. Thomas rarely felt the need to punch a hole in the wall, but today was a definite exception.

He changed clothes and headed down to the beach for a second round on the surf ski. He needed to feel the burn in his muscles clear his mind before he could think all this through again. The dangerous men she had met and the very passionate kiss, they had just shared.

Fifteen minutes into his bubbling fit of anger he grabbed the paddle in one end and slammed the other into the water with a barely held back growl. It was so unlike him, that his actions and the splash of water almost surprised him out of it. The previously gentle pitter-patter of the rain had changed to a steady downpour, but for a moment it didn’t matter.

He turned the surf ski around and headed up the coastline, pushing the limits of both himself and the surf ski on the waves. By the time he glided back onto the sand he was thoroughly spent and walking on almost shaky legs back to the guesthouse.

His mind had not been cleared.


	3. Chapter 3

Sitting back down in the chair, Juliet brought a hand to her mouth, shocked by her own behavior. She wasn’t sure what gnawed at her the most, the kiss or the confrontation. Sure, Thomas had been surprisingly aggressive himself, which had only propelled her towards defense when he’d confronted her. The defense, however, had quickly changed into pure anger, when she’d realized what he was saying, and then, somehow, they were kissing.

If she hadn’t regained a bit of her common sense, they probably would have ended up making a mess of the desk in the study. To be honest, it wouldn’t be the first time she had imagined the two of them together, but lately she had pushed it to the back of her mind, not wanting to think about it if she moved back to London.

Now, she looked at her shaking hands and wondered, just exactly what had happened. Apollo sat down in front of her and crawled under her hand as he looked inquisitively at her. She stroked the dog’s head and let go of a shaky breath. The room had dimmed as the rain started to fall outside.

Why on Earth had she allowed herself the pleasure of _that_ kiss, she wondered as Zeus joined them, placing a paw on her knee. Footsteps had the three of them turn their heads, tensing up as if expecting another confrontation from Thomas, when Kumu came into the room with a stunned look on her face.

“What’s going on? I saw Thomas storming down to the beach, is everything alright?” she asked, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of a clearly shaken Juliet Higgins. Juliet straightened her back and nodded, still a little off.

“Yes, Kumu, everything’s fine,” she said and turned back to the work on the desk in front of her. The cultural curator certainly didn’t buy it for a second and walked to the desk. Zeus and Apollo returned to their spot on the floor.

“You’re not fooling me, young lady. Spit out,” Kumu said and managed to draw a little smile from Juliet who sighed and leaned back in the chair as she ran both hands through her hair, frustration creeping in on her. Tell or not? The fight or the kiss that followed?

“Magnum is… interfering in something very personal. I wasn’t having it, so I sent him on his merry way,” she bit out through her teeth, sarcasm rolling of her tongue. Kumu looked at her and sighed.

“It might be my fault, Juliet,” the woman confessed and Juliet looked questioningly at her. Kumu sighed and continued. “After you left this morning, I spoke with Thomas when he returned on the surf ski. I may have given him the impression that I was a little concerned for you. I’m sure, he’s just looking out for you, dear.” Juliet pondered for a moment as she recalled the underlying current of alarm he’d been showing. _I have_ every _right to protect my friend_ … it echoed in in her mind and she suddenly felt nauseous for yelling at him like that.

But then she remembered how he had spied on her and wanted to know what she was doing and felt the nausea turn into freshly minted frustration again. Oh, she was going to have words with him about this. Just as soon as she had calmed down and was back to her old, calculating and chill self.

“I’m perfectly capable of looking out for myself, Kumu. I don’t need a White Knight to look over my shoulder, scrutinizing and judging my every move,” Juliet said, with renewed vigor and closed the laptop a bit too hard. She stood and collected all the papers, grabbed the laptop and looked at Kumu.

“I’m not saying you do, Juliet. Just that it’s okay to not always do everything by yourself. You have people who care about you, good men that’ll walk to the end of the world for you. I know it might sound terrifying, but relying on other people is not a weakness,” Kumu said and Juliet paused, hesitated, softened a bit.

Maybe she had been a bit unfair to Thomas, but with everything going on at the moment she couldn’t exactly excuse herself for her quick-to-fire-reaction. She realized she needed to fix this, be the grown-up and apologize, no matter how much his actions had hurt her.

“Thanks, Kumu,” Juliet said and put the laptop down again. “I’m fine, really,” she added as an afterthought when Kumu tilted her head, regarding her with a soft gaze. The older woman smiled warmly and nodded.

“You’re welcome, Juliet,” she replied and turned on her heals. Juliet looked after her for a few moments before she headed for the guesthouse in search of Thomas. She knocked but when it went unanswered, she remembered what Kumu had said about him storming down to the beach.

Considering her options, she decided to go inside and wait for him to come back. Like her, he’d apparently needed to cool down. Finding her way to the kitchen, she saw his phone left on the counter next to his keys and his priceless lucky cap. She elected to perch on the chair at the counter and wait for his return.

Thomas pushed the door open and let it shut behind him as he headed straight for the shower. Only to come to an abrupt halt when he spotted Juliet by the kitchen counter, her eyes landing on him.

As soon as he had laid his eyes on her, he felt the tornado of anger and concern and fear dissipate and he had to remind himself not to scowl at her. Memory of how she had flinched earlier filled him with regret again. And then his mind returned to their kiss.

Soaked and still dripping, he changed course when she elegantly slipped off the stool. He wiped his face with a hand and ran it through his drenched hair before wiping it off on his equally drenched shirt.

“I’m sorry for coming at you like that,” he said before she could say anything, not really sure if she would interpret it as an apology for the whole conversation, or just how he had yelled at her… or kissed her. He wanted to add more, but couldn’t find the right words.

“As much as I hate to admit it, it wasn’t your fault, Magnum, and I apologize for acting as if it was,” Juliet replied and Thomas was mildly surprised. “I know you want to help and I really appreciate it, but I can’t bring you into this, Magnum. I have to do this on my own,” she said.

Thomas was partially relieved that the kiss was put on the backburner, and yet somehow, he was a little disappointed. The kiss had been great. Amazing, even. But not the priority, right now. It could wait a bit.

He hesitated for a moment, accepting her answer, before reaching for his phone on the counter by her elbow. He found the picture he’d taken earlier and handed the phone to her. Outside, the rain receded but the gloomy sky was still there.

“This man arrived not long after you left,” he said as she scrutinized the screen. “His name is Takeshi Nakamura. HPD’s been trying to take him down for years. Whatever you’re doing, he wants you dead when you’re done,” Thomas continued and Juliet looked up at him sharply, eyes narrowed.

“That’s not…” she started but failed to finish the sentence. She ran her hands over her face, rubbing her temples and sighed. “Magnum, promise me, that you’ll stay out of this,” she said as she handed him back his phone. He eyed her curiously, weighing his options before speaking.

“No,” he simply said and watched how her face changed to one of impatience. “You might not be my partner, but you are my friend, Juliet. And I can’t let you deal with this alone, not when a man like Nakamura is involved,” Magnum explained, hoping he would get through to her.

Juliet hesitated again and turned to look out the windows with her arms crossed. Thomas gave her the minutes she needed to think it through before he walked over to stand next to her, both of them looking to the beach, contemplating the whole situation.

“I can’t let you be a part of this,” Juliet said, without taking her eyes off the view. Thomas felt betrayed, though he had no right. They were quiet for a few seconds before Juliet spoke again. “I know what you are capable of, but this isn’t something I want you in the middle of. The consequences are too big,” she continued. Thomas turned to look at her, confusion written all over his face.

“You’re back working for Her Majesty, aren’t you?” he asked, hoping it wasn’t true. It made sense, he thought. Her trips back to the UK, the clandestine meeting and the marina. The continuing silence and the goosebumps on his arms and neck were enough of a conformation and he briskly turned around. Suddenly, the kiss wasn’t of importance anymore.

“Thomas…” Juliet began and turned around to follow him, not realizing he’d doubled back and they bumped into each other. She stumbled before Thomas caught her with an arm around her waist. Completely by reflex, Juliet’s hands traveled to rest on his damp shoulders. Time slowed down and the two of them didn’t move, both too scared to break the spell between them as their eyes sought each other.

Desire pooled in her stomach and she was hundred percent sure that neither were breathing. Thomas’s eyes were dark and she could feel the heat coming of his skin, even with the rain-soaked clothes on. He smelled deliciously of salt water and sweat.

Thomas raised his free hand to tuck the loose hair behind her ear and let it rest on her neck. He had to admit, this might have been a long time coming, with all the tension between them. Maybe the probability of her relocating back to London had sparked something, along with the possibility of her being in danger.

Her pulse was thrumming against his fingers and her blushing started all the way down from her chest and travelled to the top of her ears. He had to swallow harshly as his mouth suddenly didn’t seem to take orders from his brain anymore.

Juliet stretched up and they met in a chaste, delicate butterfly kiss that evolved into exploring each other more passionately. Thomas pulled her closer again and he let a hand slide under the lacy fabric of her blouse. The contact drew a sweet moan from her, which only encouraged Thomas even more.

Juliet mirrored him and began tucking at the hem of his rain-soaked t-shirt. A second later it fell to the floor and with a swift move, Thomas lifted Juliet off the floor. She wrapped her legs around him as he started moving, neither of them focusing on anything but each other.

Her fingers were in his hair and tracing circles on his bare chest as her lips travelled down the side of his neck. Thomas worked the flimsy blouse off of her and left it on the ground on their way to the bedroom. Gently, he lowered her to the mattress, hardly taking his mouth off of her.

Reality hit him, hard, and he pulled away, confusion and vulnerability wrestling for dominance in his eyes. Juliet carded her fingers through his damp hair and he wanted her more than anything, yet it felt so wrong. The timing wasn’t right. The conditions were… wrong. He knew, she felt it, too.

“Juliet, I…” he started and caught her hand in his as he seated himself on the edge of the bed next to her. She followed him, suddenly a bit embarrassed at her own actions and how she had let it develop. She wanted nothing more, than to find her blouse and run. Run and hide and avoid every kind of interaction with men. Like she had done, after losing Richard.

But she didn’t. Not quite yet. She held it together. Her mother would be proud. She commanded her body to relax and breathe. Thomas wouldn’t hurt her. At least not intentionally. Except, that was the issue. Hurt, either intentionally or not, was still hurt.

“I’m sorry, Magnum. That was a judgmental mistake on my part,” she said. They can’t hurt you, if you hurt them first. First rule of fighting. Except this wasn’t fighting, Thomas wasn’t her enemy. When she spoke the words, she knew how wrong it was and she felt her throat start closing up. “I should… I’ll go now,” she said and pushed off of the bed. She wanted to ignore; just how much she missed the contact right when her fingers left his.

Thomas didn’t follow her. Instead he watched the door for minutes after he heard the front door close. He would be lying if he said he was fine. He sighed and fell backwards. Looking at the ceiling he wondered, what exactly had gone wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

_Juliet Higgins was good at many things. Interrogation was one of them. She entered the small room swiftly. Only the sound of fabric and heeled boots on the floor alerted her subject of her entrance. The man, a nobody, really, sharply turned his covered head towards the sounds. He was seated in a simple, metal chair, hands cuffed behind its back. Juliet stopped in front of him and pulled the bag off of his head. He blinked. Surprise flooded his features and then he relaxed._

_“Who the hell are you?” he asked and Juliet vaguely shrugged as she crossed her arms. He jerked the cuffed behind his back, testing them._

_“I’m whoever you want me to be. I can be your friend or your enemy, it all depends on you,” she said. Behind her, behind the two-way mirror glass, she knew her mentor was watching. They had been chasing down leads and dead-ends for months, now, not getting any closer to this mysterious_ Viper _._

_Ian had convinced her that their current subject would respond better to a female interrogator, so she had made the preparations which consisted of letting the guy sweat for a few hours before she entered. Also, she had undone the top button of her shirt._

_Usually, fear and desire worked wonders, but she had changed her tactic, when he had visibly relaxed at the sight of her. Clearly, desire, wasn’t a motivator for this man, so she played on fear alone._

_“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked and Juliet uncrossed her arms. It had been a miracle, that they had caught him, in the first place. She couldn’t afford to screw this up. Not now. If they didn’t produce any results soon, the higher-ups would shut them down._

_“Word gets around quick, and you know how one feather suddenly turns into a dead chicken. It would be a shame, if anything were to happen to you, don’t you think?” Juliet replied. Threatening wasn’t normally her thing, but they were getting desperate._

_“What do you mean? I haven’t told you anything!” the man said, suddenly a whole new layer of fear opening up. Juliet had to restrain her face from smiling. Now she knew, she had an in. If she worked this correctly, she would get a lead._

_“But your boss doesn’t know that, right?” she leaned in closer with her hands on the armrests. The man shifted his weight backwards, clearly, she was getting to him. “I could let you go, and then your boss would think you tattled on him. You see, right now, I’m your executioner. But if you help me, I can help you,” she said slowly, letting the words sink in. “We wouldn’t want anything to happen to your wife and sons, right?” the man visibly paled. It wasn’t an outright threat. Not from her, at least, he wasn’t scared of her. But his boss,_ Viper _, had enough of an influence to take out the whole family._

_“You can protect them? You can get us all away from here?” he asked and Juliet knew, in that instant, that she had him. She nodded, though she wasn’t sure what kind of backing she had. With things like that, don’t make promises, don’t say any words. Just nod, that way you could get away with a clearer conscience. The man thought about it, but didn’t need much convincing._

_“Everything goes through various dead-drops,” he said and Juliet stepped back and crossed her arms again. “I check it every morning and every night. I swear, I’ve never met him. The only thing I know, is that he’s British and that he has connections,” the man said and Juliet regarded him for a moment, before she walked to the door. Outside, both Ian and Richard were waiting for her._

_Juliet Higgins was good at many things. Indirectly threatening a man and his family was one of them._

“Hey, buddy, you alright there?” Rick asked Thomas, when he walked into La Mariana and plopped down on a chair at the bar next to TC. Rick still looked like hell, but sleeping most of the day away had done wonders for the bar owner’s hangover. TC was nursing a serving of club soda, the handover visible in him too.

“Yeah, I’m good, man… just a bit confused,” Thomas replied and Rick walked around the bar to sit on the seat next to him.

“Trouble in paradise?” the pilot asked and Thomas looked at him questioningly.

“Huh?” was about the only thing on his mind and Rick laughed when TC shot him a look.

“You had that same look on your face when Higgy left for London. I assume she’s the reason behind the greying hairs I see?” Rick explained and Thomas felt absolutely dumbfounded.

“Am I that easy to read?” he asked and Rick shrugged while TC laughed.

“Nah, man, we just know you… Need a beer? It’s not on the house,” he asked while slapping Thomas on the shoulder and walked back to stand behind the bar. Thomas briefly thought about telling Rick and TC about the whole thing. The beer appeared in front of him and Thomas pushed the thought away.

“Hey, Rick, I need a favor,” he said and the man creased his forehead. TC looked exasperated at him too. “Actually, I need a favor from Icepick… do you think you can set it up?” Thomas asked and Rick hesitated before he nodded cautiously. He exchanged a look with TC again.

“Yeah, sure… what’s it about?” Rick asked and Thomas shrugged.

“I’m working a new case and I wanted to check out another angle, thought maybe Icepick could guide me towards the right people,” he replied. Well, it was technically the truth.

“You are aware that _the right people_ Icepick knows are often degenerate wrongdoers and criminals higher up the food chain, right?” Rick asked and Thomas nodded with a smile.

“He knows you, right?” he said and got a laugh from TC. Rick shrugged.

“Don’t come running to me, when your ass’s on fire and you’ve got _the right people_ chasing after you,” he warned and swiped a dishtowel on a stain on the bar.

Thomas was waiting in the visitation booth at Halawa Correctional Facility. Icepick was on his way and he shuffled into the seat on the other side of the glass and lifted the phone like Thomas.

“Rick warned me about doing favors for you. Said it never ends well. Tell me why I should go through the trouble,” the older man said and Thomas chuckled at the description.

“I’m looking into Takeshi Nakamura. Anything you can tell me, would be greatly appreciated,” Thomas spoke quietly into the receiver. Icepick did not look impressed and looked him straight in the eyes as he spoke, equally quiet.

“You want to stay away from him, trust me,” he paused, thinking. “I won’t tell you anymore if this isn’t a two-way street. You tell me why you need to know, then I’ll tell you, _if_ I think it’s necessary,” he said and Thomas thought about it. He wasn’t about to bring up Juliet’s name, but he could change the narrative a tiny bit.

“A friend of mine overheard him when he ordered a loose end killed,” Thomas said, hoping it was enough of an explanation. Icepick thought about it for a while and silence stretched between them.

“You should tell your friend to look out. Nothing to do for the loose end, probably already taken care of, but your friend should watch his back. Nakamura sees all the flies on the walls and he really doesn’t like loose ends,” the older man said and leaned in closer. “You know the old saying ‘three people can keep a secret’?” he asked and Thomas nodded.

“‘If two of them are dead’,” Thomas confirmed and Icepick nodded and leaned back.

“That’s Nakamura for you. Always three steps ahead,” he said and Thomas hesitated.

“Can you think of anything he’s particular worried about, right now?” Thomas asked, wondering if it was possible to get a head start on what Juliet was about to do. Icepick hesitated again and creased his forehead. Calculating the risks.

“Word gets around, you know, some people say one of his lieutenants took off,” he said and paused briefly. “Some thinks he was taken out by a rival while others speculate that he was a snitch for the feds. My guess is, he made a mistake and paid for it, probably with his life… point is, you won’t find him. Either he’s shark food and if not…” Icepick shrugged. “… he’s gone so deep underground, that he’s popping up in South Africa.”

“Is that how he deals with loose ends? By making them shark food?” Thomas asked, both fascinated and worried. Icepick nodded and shrugged.

“Last I heard, that one was his favorite. A few years back he was very fond of leaving people in a hole to die of dehydration. But the sharks are clearly a better alternative. Leave the guy out in the open water and he’s never seen again,” he said and leaned in closer again before he rushed through the next words. “He’s not really a fan of doing the hard work himself, but if he wants information, he prefers to be alone with the unlucky soul,” he almost whispered and Thomas had to strain his ears.

“Do you know where I can find him?” Thomas asked and Icepick visibly blanched at the question.

“You’re joking, right? If I tell you, I might as well sign your death certificate already,” he said and almost backed away from the glass panel. Thomas didn’t reply, letting his face show just how serious he was. Icepick sighed and ran a hand over his face. “I know you can probably find him in the country club up near Moanalua. But I advise you strongly to stay the hell away from him,” Icepick said as Thomas nodded his thanks.

_“You are doing it wrong, J,” Richard said as he hovered above her, both of them panting hard and sweating on the soft mat beneath them. “Nice move, but you have to block before you counter, that way you don’t lose too much power and momentum on the drawback and the fall through,” he said as the two of them jumped back on to their feet._

_“I know, I know, peripheral vision and all that, yeah, I get it,” Juliet said as she rolled her shoulder backwards. The lecture wasn’t anything new, but she was still learning new tricks and Richard did a good job on keeping her focused on the task at hand. Not that her mind would wander and she would lose focus, no, she could focus on many things at once._

_Lately, Ian had wanted her to develop her skills in chess-boxing, with Richard in the ring and Ian at the board. They had also been pushing her to the edge on perfecting her language skills and accents. All this, just as preparation for her undercover operations in their hunt for the_ Viper _._

_“No, J, I don’t think you do, one day, it could get you killed. You can’t be that reckless in the field,” Richard said and slowly swiped at her head, giving her enough time to jump backwards before serving the man a few short jabs to the ribs._

_“Trust me, Richard, I’ve got it handled quite well,” Juliet said before she jumped into another lightning fast move, that had Richard on the flat of his back before he knew what had happened. Both of them began laughing and Juliet let herself fall to the floor beside him._

_“Yeah, you’ve got it,” Richard said between laughs before he sobered up. “Let your opponent think they have the upper hand. But it’s still a risky move and it could get you killed one day,” he continued when Juliet sat up and looked him in the eyes._

_“Good thing I have you to watch out for me then,” she said and leaned in for a quick kiss. However, they both jumped away from each other, when they heard the door open and saw Ian step in._

_“Come on, kids, it’s time,” Ian said with a knowing smirk on his face. He knew about their relationship, but didn’t say anything. It would be dangerous, if people found out._

_“You’re joking, right? They actually green-lighted us?” Juliet asked as both she and Richard got to their feet. Ian nodded and looked at his watch._

_“Wheels up in three hours,” he said and exited the gym again. Juliet looked to Richard, the news sobering them up quickly._

_“You’ve got this, J,” he said, knowing the outcome was mostly on her shoulders._


	5. Chapter 5

Juliet was back in the main house, had been for most of the night. She had breathed a sigh of relief, when the Ferrari had rolled out through the gate earlier. How Thomas had managed to creep under her skin today, had scared her. Also, she had thought about the comments he’d made about Nakamura. She wasn’t quite sure how he fit into all of this.

No, she wasn’t back, working for MI6, not officially. When she had gotten the message last night, she had been no less than rattled. An old friend asked to meet and she had agreed. The old friend offered her a deal and she had been very cautious when she had met the two men yesterday.

Yes, she knew them, they had worked with Richard in the past, but she didn’t trust them. No one trusted anyone in the branch of intelligence. And with good reason. They had given her an ultimatum and the choice were hard. Do the offered job and receive payment or not do the offered job and be hunted down like a criminal.

The two men, one of them a German BND agent and the other a French source, had made it clear the job was on the wrong side of the law, without even saying the words. Juliet had deep dived into the internet and researched everything she could find on Nakamura.

She still hadn’t found the connection to the job, but she was sure Thomas wouldn’t lie to her about this. Not even to keep her safe. What concerned her was Nakamura’s reputation. He sees everything, he hears everything, and anyone involved would probably never be found again. Which meant, she wasn’t the only one risking her life.

If the reputation and rumors were true, then Thomas would have a marked bullseye on his back already. Juliet was now hesitating, either she could bring him in on the case and keep an eye on him or she could push him away and make sure Rick or TC or Gordon were near him at all times. Hopefully, it would deter any possible ‘accidents’.

Thomas was driving down the scenic road, back towards the Nest, and for once, he wasn’t pushing the limits. No, he was deep in thought about the whole situation with Juliet and Nakamura. Every word that came from Icepick jumped around his mind and he could hardly focus on one at a time.

All this was probably the reason for his slow reaction when the oncoming car jerked towards him, crossing the line on the road and going straight at him. He spun the wheel but the Ferrari was clipped on the front corner and the sudden motion sent him into a spin.

Thomas was lurched wildly in every direction and he was knocked out by the steering wheel before the car suddenly came to a halt up against an old tree. The oncoming car backed up and paused a few seconds before taking off with squealing tires. The Ferrari’s ticking engine was the only sound on the dark road.

Out of professional curtesy, Gordon had been called within minutes of identifying the car as one of Robin Master’s. The fire department were still working on extricating the driver, when he’d showed up to the scene. The gnawing feeling in his stomach evolved into full-blown worry the second he recognized Thomas’s pale face and slumped form through the flurry of people.

He had been enjoying a book in his bed, when he’d received the call, so in jeans and a t-shirt he found himself stepping aside when the unresponsive driver was loaded into the ambulance just a few minutes later. That’s when he called Juliet, Rick and TC.

The only thing he’d said was the facts he knew. Thomas had been in an accident. He was taken to the nearest hospital. He hadn’t regained consciousness. He was on his way there now.

He was still sitting in the waiting room when the three of them burst through the doors, looking absolutely terrified. He didn’t have any answers for them and they quietly sat down around him, waiting.

When the doctor finally appeared and brought them the good news, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Total damage was a concussion, some bruised ribs and sore muscles. He was awake and talking, although a bit tired, when they were taken to his cubicle.

“Hey, guys,” Thomas said with a wide smile on his face. He was clearly a bit doped up on pain meds, his eyes seemed to droop every other second.

“Hey, TM, how’re you feeling?” TC asked as he took a seat in the nearest chair.

“I’m fine… more worried about the Ferrari,” he admitted and looked carefully at Juliet. His eyes spoke volumes about the current snag in their relationship.

“Don’t think about the car, Magnum. All that matters is that you’re alright,” she said, hoping her worry didn’t shine through too much. This was exactly what she had been afraid of.

“Magnum, do you remember what happened?” Gordon asked and all four of them paused, looking between the two of them, except for Thomas who glanced at Juliet. The look in his eyes told him she knew. The look in her eyes told him to be careful. Thomas hesitated before looking back to Gordon.

“Raccoon… I was trying to avoid it,” he said and looked to Juliet again. She knew it was a lie and yet the three others didn’t question it. Didn’t even share a look. Somehow it baffled her more, that Thomas had just produced such a brilliant lie, than the fact that he had just lied to his friends.

She wasn’t exactly sure where they were standing right now. Their fight, their kiss, their almost-made-it-to-bed-mishap and the current situation with Nakamura. How the hell were they going to navigate all that at once, she wondered when the doctor reappeared again.

Thomas was free to go, if he could remain under supervision and proper care. Talking back and forth between the group of friends had it settled in minutes – Juliet was to take him home and watch over him, the others would drop by later, preferably after some much-needed sleep.

The ride home was quiet, Thomas had nodded off after just a minute. He didn’t even stir when she rolled through the gate and parked the car.

“Come on,” she said and gently nudged his shoulder. He blinked awake and looked at her, bleary-eyed with a heavy sigh. “There was no raccoon, right?” she asked, intentionally not looking at him.

“No,” he simply replied and rubbed his eyes. “It was a dark blue Chevy Tahoe. An older model. Kilo, Echo, Oscar, three, six, four,” he said and now she looked at him in part astonishment. “I told you, I’m not staying out of it,” he said and finally opened the door and staggered out.

Juliet quickly joined him, gently wrapping his arm around her shoulder to support him as they made their slow way to the guesthouse. She didn’t say anything when he put more and more weight on her. The night was about to turn into morning and they paused to take in the first rays of sunlight in the horizon.

Once again, Juliet found herself thinking about the two of them. If not for the circumstances, watching the sunrise with Thomas was… nice. It was an almost comfortable silence when Thomas sighed again.

“Listen, about what happened between us…” Juliet said and Thomas shook his head.

“No. Not now, Higgy. I need sleep or coffee for that talk. Preferably both,” he admitted and they continued down the path. Within minutes, Thomas was in his bed, covered with a blanket and completely dead to the world around him. Juliet watched him for minutes before she lied down on the other side.

She told herself it was just a precaution, that it was purely because the doctor had said Thomas needed to be supervised. It didn’t take her long to drop into a slumber next to the softly snoring Thomas.

Juliet woke up to the smell of coffee and an otherwise empty bed. She walked to the kitchen, only to find Thomas stirring a pancake batter. He was definitely doing a lot better.

“Good morning,” he said and shrugged. “Afternoon, actually,” he corrected himself. Juliet looked at her watch and felt her heart drop right to the bottom of her stomach.

“I have to go…” she said and turned around, heading for the door. Places to be, laws to break.

“Higgy, wait…” Thomas said and followed her to the door. She paused, hesitating, she really didn’t have time for this. She shouldn’t have slept the whole day away. “We need to talk,” he said when he stopped in front of her, his serious eyes searching hers.

“Magnum, I’m already behind schedule, I don’t have time to chit-chat,” she said and snaked around him. She was halted again, when his hand wrapped around her wrist and a gentle tug had her turn around to face him again. She looked up at him, expectantly and annoyed. Thomas raised both hands, showing he didn’t want another confrontation.

“We can circle back to us later,” he said, they both needed to be very clearheaded for this. “Right now, we have to take care of whatever it is you’re involved in,” he said and before she could protest, he spoke again. “I’m already involved. You might as well make use of my skills,” he said with a cautious little smile.

Juliet hesitated and scrutinized him closely before she sighed and nodded in agreement. This way, she could at least keep an eye on him and hopefully make sure he wasn’t hurt further.

“Be ready in fifteen minutes,” she said and promptly turned around to exit the guesthouse without waiting for an answer. She was already regretting this, partly because he was already hurting and partly because she knew things could go very wrong in the next few hours.

_This was what she had trained for. This should be no problem for her to handle. Except this was only her second mission for the MI6 and on top of that, it was the first timer ever, someone had pulled a gun on her. It was an old revolver and she could look right down the barrel of it. She could see nothing else, her eyes were fully focused on the piece of metal, right in front of her nose._

_She had spent four days in Kiev, meeting with sources, cultivating informants and generally be a fly on the wall at top secret meetings. The man who was currently waving a gun in her face was a Russian FSB agent, who suspected her as a mole, because she was the newest addition to the ‘team’. Juliet appeared ice cold on the outside, but on the inside, she was genuinely freaking out. As in, major panic-mode, and somehow, her handler wasn’t inserting himself into the situation._

_She managed to get a hold of herself before she resembled a cold chihuahua. She squared her shoulders and found her most chilled stare and bore her eyes into the man in front of her. She didn’t like this situation at all._

_“You want to holster your weapon before I do it for you and snap your neck in the process. Tell me, Semyon, what is your evidence? I’ve have been er all of four days and you’ve suspected a mole in you circles for quite some time, correct?” she asked and she could see the man’s determination waver when she looked past the gun._

_“Now, come to your senses, so we can all get back to the work we have been assigned, shall we?” she continued and when his eyes briefly left her, she was lightning fast to grab the weapon and floor Semyon in less than the blink of an eye. The group of people watching them didn’t even move, satisfied, that only one of them would survive it._

_With a knee behind his shoulder blades and the gun pressed right up underneath his chin, he didn’t even dare to breathe as she spoke very quietly in his ear. “I am not your enemy in this room,” she said and moved to her feet, disassembling the revolver and dropping the parts on the floor in front of Semyon._

_As soon as she looked around the room, she received a tiny nod of approval from her handler, but she wasn’t sure if she could trust him anymore. The other people went back to discussing the business, that had been interrupted only a few minutes earlier._

_Juliet would later bury the memories from this little mishap, hoping to forget it had ever happened. After this, she had only trained that much harder to avoid being in the same position again._

**Author's Note:**

> The titles of my works might seem connected, but they're all stand-alone. Enjoy.  
> Let me know, if you have any request for future works - I'm fairly openminded.  
> /kwueenie.


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